AFROTC Review Board question

DS saw online that he had not been selected for a scholarship at the last board, however due to his rank on the board, his application will be meeting at the next board. My question is, is this standard procedure or does this give him reason to stay optimistic? We want to continue to be positive, but we need to be realistic as well. We appreciate any information you have to share.

englishteacher said:

DS saw online that he had not been selected for a scholarship at the last board, however due to his rank on the board, his application will be meeting at the next board. My question is, is this standard procedure or does this give him reason to stay optimistic? We want to continue to be positive, but we need to be realistic as well. We appreciate any information you have to share.

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I believe its standard procedure. It certainly is for NROTC. Anyone who is board qualified and not offerred a scholarship is carried over to the next board. It is reason to KEEP your hopes up, but I wouldn't say its reason to GET your hopes up (any higher), if you know what I mean.

Ds also received the same message. Curious I everyone who is not given a scholorship automatically goes to the next board? DS already has NROTC scholorship in hand and seems AFROTC may be looking for something different. Thankfully NROTC is his first ROTC choice if he doesn't receive a SA appointment. Wondering if similar to USAFA if AFROTC is scaling back scholorships this year as well?

crair70 said:

Ds also received the same message. Curious I everyone who is not given a scholorship automatically goes to the next board? DS already has NROTC scholorship in hand and seems AFROTC may be looking for something different. Thankfully NROTC is his first ROTC choice if he doesn't receive a SA appointment. Wondering if similar to USAFA if AFROTC is scaling back scholorships this year as well?

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I expect they are scaling back scholarships but I doubt that is why you haven't heard from them although it might be a factor. It's probably more a case of the competition pools are different. Not everyone who applies for one ROTC program applies for all the others. Also the needs of the services are different in terms of numbers of certain majors needed vs what they already have in the pipeline. Let's say DS is planning on majoring in Mechanical Engineering. Navy maybe needs more or has fewer in their pipeline already vs Air Force.

Glad to hear DS already has an NROTC scholarship and is merely waiting to hear from the Naval Academy. Nice to already have plan B worked out.

AFROTC does not automatically re-board everyone. The WCS is given and from there the types are handed out.

Re-boarding is something to be optimistic about because it traditionally means they are on a cusp somewhere and need to see a larger pool to determine the outcome.

Where that cusp lies nobody here knows. He could be on the cusp between a 1 and 2, 2 and 7, 7 and nothing.

Remember 1 big difference between AFROTC and A/NROTC is that there is no requirement of matching the ROTC unit and the candidate. The candidate selected can take it to any college anywhere that accepts AFROTC without requesting permission to change. The only time they need permission is:
1. Type 7 to 3 yr Type 2 conversion
2. Tech to non-tech.

It really is a good sign.

As far as the AFA and AFROTC system regarding scaling back it is important to understand why the AFA scaled back. It was not a budgetary reason per se. By federal law the SA's are capped at 4400 cadets for yr end strength, they may request a waiver, but the AFA opted not to so they could get back under the 4400 number. 1050 this yr, 1150 ly, and the graduating classes of 12, 13 and 14 are still larger than they had anticipated which is why they need to cut. You will notice they have announced 17 will be going back up to 15 next yr.

AFROTC has their own budget too and again a lot has to do with manpower needs for FY17.

AFROTC is the red-headed cousin in the ROTC system, not only do they have a different selection process (no college tie, type 1,2,and 7), but also they are the ones that will cut contracted scholarship cadets after C200 if they are not selected for SFT.

SFT selection rate will vary depending partly on the AFA. Look at AFROTC C300/400's they had the lowest rate in yrs. Now compare that to the AFA class size for 12/13, it is one of the largest in yrs. The AF still only needs X amount, so how do they trim those class yrs? They reduce the selection rate for AFROTC SFT and dis-enroll these cadets. This places them back on track for their manpower strategic goal.

You are also seeing that IS scholarships are starting to open up for 14, very, very few, but still it is a good sign because they probably realized that when they started the real AFROTC cuts back in 14, they cut too hard, and now need to bring some back in the fold.

The way anyone will get an eyeball on guesstimating where AFROTC is going now will be in the end of Feb., when the SFT aka EA results are released. If the % accepted has gone over the 60% national rate, it means they are coming out of the abyss. If it is below LY of 55%, they are still trimming away.

Now many of you will say I don't care about that because I only care about the scholarship, and that has nothing to do with scholarships. Yes, it does have something to do with scholarships. The reason why is because it means they have equalized their need with the demand. They don't want to waste even 80K (36 Type 7- 2 yrs., 6K stipend, 2K books) and cut loose that kid 2 yrs later. It is a bad ROI. The higher the selection rate = more POCs that were probably on scholarship. I.E. Better Return on Investment because as a POC they own you. C100/200 you can still walk.

Caveat: For AFROTC scholarship recipients remember this mantra:
Scholarship recipients DO NOT get extra points for SFT selection. It will not guarantee a commissioning from AFROTC!

In 2 yrs you will meet another board and now this board will determine if you keep that scholarship and if you become an officer. AFROTC HSSP will feel like a cake walk emotionally. I know you don't believe me, but you will in 2 yrs when everyone in the unit is biting their fingernails and everyone you talk to all talk about the same thing...will I be here next yr?

Thank you so much for the information.

The system may have changed, but it use to mean something different to be told you are being re-boarded, and now it may be everyone get's re-boarded. I yield to the interviewer.

4 yrs ago the re-boarded candidates also had the ability to have their 7th semester grades submitted. Only the PAR aspect would/could change, nothing else was looked at, however if the gpa went up than the WCS could go up and place them in a different scholarship type. The board decided to request 7th semester grades, you couldn't just submit them if you already met the board as an after the fact situation. I.E goes back to my cusp comment.

Everyone else could keep meeting the boards, but their WCS would not change and the score they had is the one they kept since the board didn't request any new info.

Back in 08 the unable letters were flying out in January simply because they know that even if 75% of recipients didn't take the scholarship, they would not offer a scholarship. Their WCS was just too low.

Understand the difference back than they also had IS scholarships, so they could/would divert that pool of money to those scholarships.

The past few yrs, more have been accepting scholarships because the AFA has reduced their class sizes, which meant less money being thrown back into the pot.

As always, the one issue that has not changed is to realize 95% of AFA candidates will apply for AFROTC scholarship, but 95% of AFROTC candidates will not apply to the SAs.

The mass mailing for the AFA is later than any yr prior, and will be very close to the last board for AFROTC. That can translate into candidates holding on even longer to the scholarship. This is why it is important to meet the earlier boards. If the scholarships awarded aren't thrown back in the pool, by April AFROTC will be squeaking out the scholarships because they have used up the majority of their available dollars.

The economy also is a factor because a Type 7 can convert to a 3 yr Type 2. If more kids are opting to go IS because OOS or private are too expensive, than that will impact their FY 12 because it is not only the tuition, but the increased expense of stipends and book allowances. When the 7's are converted into 2's, they still cap out at 18K, but it would only be for 3 yrs, plus no stipend or allowances would be charged until FY 13.

JMPO, but I think this is also a reason why you had seen the ISSP shut down for the past few yrs. on top of the AFA factor.

Hope that clears things up.

Happy New Year to all!